A decidedly different version of this theme, a Festive carved wooden Tai (Red Snapper) fish with removable side for sashimi coated inside in gold with bone teeth and inlayed bone eyes. The craftsman ahs gone to great lengths to make this as realistic as possible, from the textures of the skin to the folds in the fins and coloring. Unusually, most dishes in this vein are one sided, however this is equally realistically carved on both sides...

Antique Japanese red lacquer trunk. Hardware is made of copper and ornately incised. Papered on the inside.

Meiji Period (1868-1912)

Dimensions: 14" high x 24" wide x 16 1/4" deep.

Antique Japanese sewing box. Made of lacquered wood and inlaid with painted shells. Intended for export. Beautiful details of colorful pheasants and peony blossoms. There is a separate drop-in tray with many small compartments for sewing tools.

Age: Meiji Period (circa early 1900's)

Dimensions: 5 1/8" high x 15 3/8" wide x 11 1/4" deep (when closed)

Antique Japanese Funa Bako or ship safe chest with an original black lacquer finish. Ornate iron hardware decorates the front of the box with a side locking mechanism. Behind the front door are six drawers with ring pulls. Two of the drawers are precious and small, one labelled in kanji. Outside is made of Hinoki wood (Cypress) while the inside drawers are made of Kiri wood (Paulownia). Dates from the Edo age 19th century. Size: 15" height, 17" depth, 13" width

Japanese carved wood Natsume tea caddy, with high relief lacquer imagery of ripened peaches growing on a branch, and a flying hornet on the top of the lid in lacquer. The side of the box is signed with red lacquer cartouche.

Meiji period (1868-1912) c. 1900

Dimensions: 2 1/2" W x 2 3/4" H

A beautiful lacquered wooden box and tray carved with leaves on an orange peel ground signed Tamehiko on bottom and dated 1932, enclosed in the original signed wooden box. It is 14 x 11 x 8 cm (5-1/2 x 4-1/4 x 3-1/4 inches) and is in excellent condition.

An antique Japanese Gyosho Bako (peddler's box) made of Hinoki (Cypress) wood. Original Urushi lacquer finish and bronze hand made hardware. Carrying handles through which a pole would be inserted with outer Japanese writing advertising the peddler. Straight Japanese dovetail joinery and hardened wooden nail construction. Four drawers of increasing heights from top to bottom.

Age: Edo Period (1800-1850)

Dimensions: 6" Wide by 13" High by 11" Deep

Inro with 4 compartments in black lacquered wood. Decor of a mountain lake landscape executed in gold and silver powder. Mosaic details of small squares of gold. The worn parts reveal the red lacquer which was used to execute the reliefs. Japanese work from the 18th century or before. No signing. Good general condition for a tercentenary lacquer. Multiple small damages all visible on photos. No repainted areas, no restoration. Quality lacquer, solid. 82x52mm.

A fascinating Jar-shaped set of stacking food boxes known as a Jubako in multi-color dating from the early 20th century. Jubako were used to serve food to groups or family on festive occasions, where the food was presented in the box, and each person would take what they wanted, rather than have the meal served on individual dishes as in more formal Kaiseki meals. Assembled it is 20 cm (8 inches) diameter 32.5 cm (13 inches) tall and is in overall excellent condition.

Box and its tray in black lacquered wood decorated with bindweed in gold and silver powdered lacquer. Details of gold squares. Black interior. Nice finish. No signature. Japanese work from the end of the 19th century or the beginning of the 20th century, Meiji or Showa period. Good condition except for some wear on the corners visible in the photos. No catering.

Coxcomb decorates the deeply carved surface of this box covered in green and red lacquer outside, gilded with gold inside in the Kamakura-bori carving tradition. It is 22 x 25 x 5 cm and comes enclosed in a period wooden box. Kamakura-bori is a type of lacquer ware made in the area around the ancient capital city of Kamakura in Kanagawa prefecture. The tradition is based on carved lacquer wares imported from China during the Kamakura era...

Mid Meiji black lacquer gold maki-e borders document box. Features three raised gold designs with very fine details and Japanese characters. The has a gold sprinkled nashiji interior. In excellent condition, it measures: Length 10-1/8" x Width 3-3/4" x Height 2-1/8". Circa 1890. More photos available upon request.

Mother of pearl flowers rise among the large leaves of a paulownia tree on this small lacquer box and tray dating from the early 20th century enclosed in the original signed wooden box by Yoshida Rissai. The workmanship is flawless, with a fine sense of depth brought on by the mother of pearl lined with gold powder and set against a ground of golden mist on black. Inside is a rich, red tinged nashiji ground...

A elegant and luxurious cigarette set by Ikkakusai, Nagata Tomijiro. The work is a combination of silver, woven strips of wood, and lacquer. The exterior section of the lid has two fan shaped silver plates insets with traditional motifs of bamboo, lingzhi (reishi), and the sage jurojin. The box has a metal and glass ash tray, a compartment for a lighter, and below a drawer for extra cigarettes. Cigarettes became popular in Japan during the Taisho and early Showa Periods...

Charming Antique Japanese box with large lid, lacquered red and black with mother of pearl inlay. Black lacquer mon of pine tree and writing in black, heavy iron hardware. Has original holes for tying top to bottom for travel. The inscription on both sides state the name of the confectioner. Trans: Confectioners Matsuzaka Asano Rokkado. Late Edo Period- Meiji Period (19th century). Size: 17" high x 16" wide x 13 1/2" deep.

An impressive pair of large red lacquer boxes beautifully decorated with hydrangea flowers and leaves. Both with "Made in Japan" paper labels and insurance identification/inventory labels. In very good condition with some minor wear, each measures 9 inches high, 12.5" diameter. Dates Showa, mid-century.

Spectacular Taisho Period Ca.1920 Kamakura-Bori lacquered wood carving with chrysanthemum petals in beautiful relief. Ca. 1920. Good condition ( see Pics.). Ask for shipping quote.

Vintage Japanese box and tray set, made of black lacquered wood with shell inlay in classic Art Deco design of stylized phoenixes, good condition, Showa Period (circa 1933). Tray is 11 1/2" long x 7 3/4" wide. Box is 5" wide by 4" wide.